I Didn't Say It....

.....or at least Blogger wouldn't let me.......until now! 

Actor, or wacktor, Stephen Baldwin, on LGBT rights....or religion....or marriage equality.....or the constitution....or something:

"For society, and a majority of our society, to be asked by a very small minority to change its ways — and everybody can interpret that for themselves; that can be constitutional, that can be by law, that can be by faith — the homosexual community wants to go and start its own churches and get married, they’re free to do that. And I don’t see that being unreasonable to say, why should people who believe this in a big way that’s been around for a long time turn around and alter what they feel is their sensibility just because those folks feel like, ‘We’re not being treated equal.'"

Apparently, unless Stephen Baldwin has a script to read, everything he says is gibberish.

Barney Frank, on Uganda's 'Kill The Gays' bill:

“I’m disturbed by the news that Uganda is considering going ahead with a measure that denies the humanity of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people....I was pleased when the Financial Services Committee overwhelmingly, in a bipartisan way, voted in favor of my amendment urging the Secretary of the Treasury to oppose any financial assistance from multilateral development institutions to countries that persecute people on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity or religious beliefs. In the discussion of the amendment I offered, I specifically mentioned the deeply troubling case of Uganda, which is now considering legislation to legally deprive people of these basic human rights....If the bill before the Ugandan parliament becomes law, it must be the policy of the United States government to oppose any aid to Uganda from the World Bank, the African Development Bank, or any other international financial institution of which we are a member.”

Bravo, Barney.
For us, or any nation, to lend money or support to a country that legislates, legalizes, or justifies murder, for any reason, much less based on someones supposed sexual orientation, is in defensible.
If Uganda wants to go ahead with this criminal action, then they should go ahead alone.

Chaz Bono, on acceptance of being transgender:

“Until I really accepted this about myself and got over any of my own transphobia that I had, I really felt like I wouldn’t be accepted. I thought I would ruin my life. I thought it was, ‘Be yourself but become a pariah and put your family through hell,’ or, ‘Don’t be yourself and live a horribly uncomfortable existence where everybody relates to you in a way that’s not you.’"

I am fascinated by transgendered people, and how they struggle for acceptance from the world, their families, and even themselves.
So many people, and I include some gay folks, too, believe that being a gay man means that you want to be a woman. We don't don't. And lesbians don't wish to be men.
But then you read parts of Chaz Bono's story, about growing up attracted to women, believing 'she' was a lesbian, until 'she' recognized that 'she' was actually a 'he'.
And he was a straight man attracted to women.
Chaz Bono was never a lesbian. He was always a straight man trapped in the wrong gender. How wonderful for him that he can now be truly himself.

Alice Hoagland, mother of openly gay rugby player and 9/11 hero Mark Bingham, on the death of Osama bin Laden:

"I am going to miss my son every day of my life but this, the death of Osama bin Laden, seems to be perfect closure for the foul and evil deeds that that man has committed. Bill Clinton made a real effort to root out Osama bin Laden. George W. Bush promised the American public that we will not rest until we have Osama bin Laden in our control, and then Barack Obama was able to make good the promises and efforts of his two predecessors. I'm very grateful to all three men for their strength and their persistence in this project."

As I have said for the past week or so, the death of bin Laden has given closure to those people most personally affected by 9/11. And Alice Hoagland is right to thank Clinton, Bush, and Obama. All three worked to get bin Laden, and all three deserve a piece of the credit.

Exodus International's head homo Alan Chambers, on Google's airing of an It Gets Better ad during Glee:

"Children all over the world, including my two children are fans of Toy Story and to see a character like that [Woody] endorsing something that at this point children have no need to know about, it’s disappointing. For organizations like Exodus International, which has thousands of men and women like me who have lived a gay life, it obviously didn’t get better living a gay life for them."

It didn't get better for you, Alan, because you chose to go back in the closet and denounce who you are; these ads tell children, and adults, that it's okay to be gay, and to be open and honest, and expect openness and honesty in return.

Former President Bill Clinton, on marriage equality in New York:

"Our nation's permanent mission is to form a ‘more perfect union’ - deepening the meaning of freedom, broadening the reach of opportunity, strengthening the bonds of community. That mission has inspired and empowered us to extend rights to people previously denied them. Every time we have done that, it has strengthened our nation. Now we should do it again, in New York, with marriage equality. For more than a century, our Statue of Liberty has welcomed all kinds of people from all over the world yearning to be free. In the 21st century, I believe New York's welcome must include marriage equality."

It's long past time when all Americans are treated equally under the law.
Long.Past.Time.


Representative Michele "Crazy Eyes" Bachmann, on how the Holocaust is just like raising taxes on the rich:

"Expecting me to bear a fair share of my civic responsibility is like gassing me to death. We are seeing eclipsed in front of our eyes a similar death and a similar taking away. It is this disenfranchisement that I think we have to answer to. The question comes down to this: what will you say to that next generation about what you did to make sure that wouldn't be their fate?"

We might say that we turned things around so that taxation is fair and equitable.
The more you make, the more you pay. We might also say, You're welcome. we were happy to take that burden off of you.
But we would never compare the rich being taxed to six million people being put to death.
That would be stupid.

Chelsea Clinton, on marriage equality:

"As a New Yorker who not that long ago got married to her best friend, I certainly believe that all my friends should have the right to marry their best friends. And I certainly believe that those of us who are straight cannot expect our gay friends to do this on our own. And I certainly expect my straight friends to help us achieve that for all New Yorkers, for all Americans, and for the children that Mark and I expect to have one day..."

Like father, like daughter,
The LGBT cannot move forward without the help and support of the straight community, and it's nice to see Chelsea Clinton ask that of her straight friends.
No one is equal until we are all equal.


Judith Light, longtime advocate for the LGBT community, and the HIV/AIDS community, on LGBT youth:

"It's very important to me that young people, who are struggling with their sexuality, and trying to understand what it's like to live in a world that can be, at it's worst, cruel, and at best, dismissive, that they know and they understand that they are appreciated and loved and valued and respected and honored."

Judith Light has long bee n a supporter of all things LGBT.
To paraphrase an old Barbara Mandrell tune, 'She was gay friendly when gay friendly wasn't cool'.

I Didn't Say It......

Kobe Bryant, on his 'fucking fag' slur:

"Even though I didn't mean it that way, I've since learned what that word still means to a lot of people. I went on-line myself and I did my own research and I saw and I read about kids who were committing suicide because of being teased for who they are. I don't play that. I used to beat up a lot of kids even in high school who used to tease my friends because they were gay, or because they were black, or because they were Jewish, or because they were yellow, or because they were whatever. For people who don't think my apology is sincere, they don't know me. This isn't over for me. I really plan to do more. What I said was ignorant and I really didn't realize what I was saying. Now that I do and realize how it affects people I really plan to do more and to help with the awareness."

Wow, so you had gay friends in school and beat up people who called them gay and then you grew up and called someone a fag and, well, that's just how it is, and you're being sincere when you apologize?
Keep talking, Kobe, and keep digging yourself in deeper. But if you want this to end, try saying, "I'm sorry I said something reprehensible. I'm sorry I didn't think before I spoke. I'm sorry that when someone upsets me the first thing I think of is to call them a 'fag'"
Failing that, just say,"I'm sorry"and don't do it again. Ever.


Former NBA Player, and out gay man, John Amaechi on Kobe Bryant's anti-gay slur:

"I suppose that's the typical, "I apologize if you're offended" type of comment. I doubt very much when he said that that he thought Bennie was a pile of sticks. There's only one contemporary meaning for that. The problem we have now is because of the way we don't address homophobia, the ultimate insult to a man is to tell them either they're like a woman or worse, that they're gay. We have to take it as unacceptable as a white person screaming the N-word at a black person. … I can tell you that I've been called a f——- fairly routinely, and yet people seem to hold off on calling me the N-word. We've got to mirror that progress.

I'm not interested in seeing Kobe punished. What I'm interested in is if you're really sorry, that this is a one-off mistake for you, use the power you have to make a difference. That means a proper apology and doing something with his brand. Good Lord, he's got the power with one executive decision to get people moving and do something good here. Do something good.

I've said this before and I know people think it's hyperbole, but especially in America, people look at sports stars like their gods. I keep saying every time, "If sports stars are gods it's time we see a miracle every once in a while." This is an opportunity for that....what I would want is to encourage Kobe to use the power he has to really make an apology that means something. Tell black men, men in general in America, that resorting to that sort of language is the lowest of the low and is unacceptable. And it doesn't make you any more of a man. That's really the answer. Saying you didn't mean it is not the answer."

I can't add to this.
Amaechi said it all, and much better than I could.


Marilyn Davenport, Tea Party activist and Orange County GOP committee member, on being busted for emailing an offensive "joke" with the caption: "Now you know why there's no birth certificate"--sidenote: you will not see that offensive picture on this blog:

"Oh, come on! Everybody who knows me knows that I am not a racist. It was a joke. I have friends who are black. Besides, I only sent it to a few people–mostly people I didn’t think would be upset by it. You're not going to make a big deal about this are you? It's just an Internet joke."

Oh, I get it, Marilyn.
You have black friends so you can't be racist.
Like Kobe has gay friends but still says, 'fag'?
With friends like you the Black Community doesn't need enemies.
Racism isn't funny.
Stupidity isn't an excuse.
You are a moron.

Barney Frank, on Obama's stance on DOMA:

"There are lawsuits against it that I think will win anyway, because the federal government can’t discriminate. Beyond that I don’t see anything about gay marriage happening on a federal level. More and more states will go that way, though. When they do, people will see, as with health care and the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” that there are no negative consequences. Places that have gay marriage have had none of the negative consequences that people warned us about. Zero. The divorce rate hasn’t gone up. There have been no calamities. Marriage hasn’t lost its meaning. Same-sex marriage as a divisive issue is losing its steam. Overall I think antigay prejudice is on its way out."

I'm not sure anti-gay prejudice will ever be all the way out.
Look at the racial prejudice many still feel toward the Black community, or even the Muslim community.
But I do see change, and I do see hope, and I do see more and more people understanding that my marriage, or any gay marriage, will have zero effect on their marriage.


Reese Witherspoon, on her 'disgusting'love scenes with Robert Pattinson:

"Rob possibly had the most hideous horrible cold of any co-star I've ever had to do a love scene with ever in my entire life ... He was literally snorting and snotting through every second of it -- and it was not appealing. I'm talking green, infectious, disgusting -- I'm not kidding! ... I'm going to say it's a little bit of a downer. I was a little disappointed. It wasn't sexy."

Quelle surprise.
Pattinson always looks, to me anyway, like an unwashed dog. so I can't imagine a love scene with him being sexy at all.


Robert Redford, on Sarah Palin's insinuation that higher education is elitist:

"Well....the country is made up of three categories. Traditionalists, cultural creative people and the moderns. The moderns are the hi-tech Silicon Valley people. The traditionalists on the lower end of it are the people who don't want change, they're afraid of change therefore they have anger. The fear card is a very big powerful card and when you have people afraid of change; they'll do anything to prevent it. They're doing it because they're limited, frightened of people who are not as limited. I think Sarah Palin, part of her strength is how limited she is."

Her strength is that a lot of limiuted, fearful people, think she has a clue as to what she's talking about, when clearly, she's an idiot.


Andrew Sullivan, on the long-awaited granting of his green card:

"I do not know right now what to do or say. Except to express my love and gratitude for my family and friends and husband who lived through this with me; and to those who helped lift the HIV ban; and to my lawyer who was simply magnificent; and to those who did what they could - and they know who they are - to keep this show on the road. "But I do know this. America remains the great dream, the great promise. For all its dysfunction, it remains an ideal, a place where the restlessness of the human mind and soul comes to rest in a place it constantly reinvents and forever re-imagines. I know this in my bones, perhaps more than many who take this amazing mess of a country for granted. But for the first time in my life, I do not feel somewhere in my psyche that I am displaced, unwelcome, an impostor."

Now, if we can allow gay couples, binatinal gay couples, to be treated as equally as straight binational couples, we will be headed in the right direction.

Sarah Palin, on how the media is treating Donald Trump unfairly:

"They are hammering him about the one issue that he has brought up and not been shy about and that's the birth certificate. He's merely answering reporter's questions about his view on the birth certificate and then reporters turn that around and saying that's all he's got! He's only running on a birth certificate issue when that's not the case...Donald Trump is running on the issue, bottom line, that Obama is so far over his head."

Um, Obama is in over his head?
How so, Grizzly Bore? I mean, do you have any solid evidence, or is the only thing you're grasping at Donald Trump's weave? If Trump had anything else to offer, then you know he'd be talking about that.
He's one-note, you're less than that. Seriously, when you pander to someone who is pandering to morons, what does that say about you?

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, on LGBT rights:

"I'm proud to be with you, to stand with you and pledge we will continue to work to fulfill the aspirations of Minnesotans and Americans who want the same rights, freedoms, opportunity, respect, dignity and legal protections and legal opportunities as every other one of their fellow citizens which the founding principal of this country."

Well, this must surely count as big news coming from the governor of Minesota, home of Tom Emmer and Target.
Hopefully the people of the state will follow and cheer their governor, rather than travel into homophobia and bigotry with Emmer and Target.

Ted Nugent, has-been rock star, and right-wing-nut, on Kobe's slur:

"If the NBA had any true gay convictions, the NBA should host a Homosexual Night. During halftime, the homosexuals could come down on the court, hold hands and prance around the court to music by the Village People. The NBA could then give each homosexual a pink basketball as a symbol of solidarity. Like other professional athletes, numerous NBA players have done all kinds of things on and off the court that do not cast a positive light on themselves or the NBA, but they have not been fined $100,000 by the league. Homosexuals are a protected class in America. If you think what happened to Mr. Bryant was a travesty, just wait until you see what homosexuals in the military do when they claim they have been mistreated because of their sexual orientation."

Wow, I'm a protected class in America?
I guess no one told me. Or America.
See, I, um, can't get married, save for a few states. In many places I can be fired, denied housing, unable to adopt a child, simply for who I am. I can get beaten just by walking down the street because of who I am.
And it's okay to call me names on TV. It's okay to make fun of me for sport. It's okay to use a derogatory term about me as an insult, because I'm protected.
What I need is protection from asshats like Nugent.

Chely Wright, on being snubbed by country music since she came out--except for people like Faith Hill and Brad Paisley:

"My first performance on the Grand Ole Opry was in 1989, and I was kind of an Opry darling. I'd be called to perform at least every 10 weeks, until my coming out. Since then, I've not heard a peep."

I'm sure the good ole folks at the Opry have their own version of the story, of why Chely Wright has not been asked to perform there in well over a year.
But, when she was asked to perfrom about five or six times a year, for about twenty years, and then is met with silence shortly after she said she was a lesbain, well.....
Shame on the Grand Ole Opry.

I Didn't Say It.......

Jason Patrick [seriously?] on Lady Gaga:

"This Lady GaGa is absolutely preposterous. This is, what? You take a s*** in a Cuisinart and put [on] some pasties and get Auto-Tuned and look who I am. Well nothing, you've been marketed, that's all. If I was a magician maybe I'd get angry about it, but it's just like, what? Again, just turn the page."

Um, thanks Jason? I guess.
But why the anger?
What did Gaga ever do to you? Beat you to the Appear-In-An-Egg-At-The-Grammys title?
Wear a meat dress first?
Someone needs a nap.


amfAR, on the passing of Elizabeth Taylor:

"The board of trustees and staff of amfAR mourn the passing of our beloved Founding International Chairman, Dame Elizabeth Taylor. Dame Elizabeth was without doubt one of the most inspirational figures in the fight against AIDS. She was among the first to speak out on behalf of people living with HIV when others reacted with fear and often outright hostility. For 25 years, Dame Elizabeth has been a passionate advocate of AIDS research, treatment and care. She has testified eloquently on Capitol Hill, while raising millions of dollars for amfAR. Dame Elizabeth’s compassion, radiance, and generosity of spirit will be greatly missed by us all. She leaves a monumental legacy that has improved and extended millions of lives and will enrich countless more for generations to come."

Elizabeth Taylor was an AIDS activist almost before we knew what either of those things meant. And would she have done so if her good friend, Rock Hudson, hadn't died of complications of AIDS? I don't know. And I don't care.
See, that's how any of us become advocates for anything: we're touched by it, and moved by it, and want to change it.
And Elizabeth Taylor did that before anyone else.

Karen England, wingnut from California Research Institute, on transgendered people:"If you're born a male or a female, then you should remain a male or a female on your birth certificate. It's actually quite deceptive -- and it shouldn't be legal to be able to have a birth certificate that has you identified as one sex when you're really another sex altogether. I don't know why we need to have special privileges on something this radical and controversial for people who are wanting to go through a sex change, or for people who are saying they want to go through it but want to conceal their identity or want to -- quote, unquote -- 'get married' under Proposition 8. It's just radical, and I can't believe they're even discussing this at the state legislative level."

Wow, is there any LGBT issue this wackjob isn't against?
Transgender. Marriage equality.
Karen, honey, you clinking clanking clacking collection of calygenous junk, times are changing, and when the change is compete, you'll be that sad bag lady standing at the curb wondering where everyone went.
But, that's your choice.

Mike Huckabee, asshat and presidential wannabe, but neverwillbe, on reinstating DADT if elected:

"I would -- because that's really what the military wants. There's been some talk that the military is fine with having same-sex orientation people. But if you really surveyed the combat troops, that is not at all the case....I don't think that these are decisions that politicians should make. These are decisions that soldiers should make," he says emphatically. "And when the soldiers in the foxholes make the decisions, they choose something different -- and we should listen to them."

Gee, Mike, if you had half a brain--and one less chin--you might realize that members of the military do not make up the rules of the military.
That's for the leaders of the military, and the President, who've already spoken on this issue.
If you want to be taken seriously as a candidate for president--and not simply as some banjo strumming nutjob--why don't you talk about the issues that concern the American people, like, oh, maybe the economy, jobs, Iraq, Afghanistan, instead of pandering to your baseless nitwits.

Wendy Wright, of the Concerned Women For America, on the Respect For Marriage Act:

"The congressmen who introduced this bill are claiming rights that don't exist. There is no right to same-sex 'marriage,' and they seek to confuse people by using language like that. Every time that marriage has come up for a vote in a state, that state has protected marriages between one man and one woman. So when you look at how they operate, they are in fact the bullies. They're the ones who have massive amounts of money. When you look at the budgets of these groups, it's rather shocking the multimillions of dollars they have -- they bring in every year -- and with that, they're able to hire full-time lobbyists who then intimidate not only politicians but corporations."
Oh, Wendy.
There is same-sex marriage, honey. Iowa? Massachusetts?
Ever heard of those places?
And, soon enough, marriage equality will be everywhere so the Respect For Marriage ACT is a positive step towards change.
But, um, I'm guessing you'll be left on a curb somewhere with fellow wingnut hater Karen England.

Victoria Jackson, former SNL cast member and Tea Party wackjob, on al-Qaida and Glee:

"This new al-Qaida magazine for women has beauty tips and suicide-bomber tips! Gimme a break! That is as ridiculous as two men kissing on the mouth! And I don't care what is politically correct. Everyone knows that two men on a wedding cake is a comedy skit, not an 'alternate lifestyle'! There I said it! Ridiculous! Did you see Glee this week? Sickening! And, besides shoving the gay thing down our throats, they made a mockery of Christians – again! I wonder what their agenda is? Hey, producers of Glee – what's your agenda? One-way tolerance?"
Victoria, Victoria, Victoria. Al, those years of standing on your head on SNL have compressed your brain to the point that rational cogent thought doesn't exist.
And, if the idea of two men kissing is so repellent to you--and, really, honey, it's hot--then WTF are you doing watching the gayest show on TV.

Barney Frank, on the idea that gay rights is now a positive wedge issue for the Democrats:

"What do I say to the idea that this [DOMA] is a wedge issue? I say 'Hallelujah.' The fact that we've now evolved to the point where the Republicans are complaining about the fact that we introduced this bill because it causes them political problems is a great sign of progress. It used to be the other way around."

But let's not make everything about gay rights.
Many in the LGBT community are also concerned about the economy and jobs, wars, the environemtn.
Let's try to focus on those issues, too.
They matter to the LGBT community as well.


Bruce Vilanch, on James Franco's widely-panned Oscar performance and allegedly being high:

"No, he wasn't high. I was with him, and he wasn't high. And I asked him, 'Are you high, and can I have some?' And he said no to both....He has so many balls in the air, he didn't get to town till Thursday before the show on Sunday. And so we e-mailed a lot....He had a bunch of people who were writing for him, and if it had been him alone, it would have been different. But it was him and Anne Hathaway, and they both had to be serviced. So there was a lot of communication beforehand. But he didn't get there...I don't think he realized how big a deal it is to do it until he was actually confronted with it. I think he thought he would kind of ... I don't know what he thought. I thought maybe it was a performance-art prank, and then I realized he sincerely wanted to do it. But it's outside of those guys' comfort zones. The only people who know how to host those shows are people who get up onstage every night and say, 'Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. A funny thing happened ... ' Or people like Bette [Midler] who get up and sing all night and tell stories."

He looked high, he acted high. But maybe that's all it was, being out of his element and seriously not prepared. A few emails doesn't set you up for the Oscar host win, James.

Josh Flagg, of Bravo's Million Dollar Listing, has ome out of the closet:

"You know my sexuality does not define me, it is not who I am, but rather it is part of me, and I did not ever want people to think of me as "the gay real estate guy," I did not want that to be the only demographic that was watching me on TV or the only demographic to associate with me. I am very glad I did things the way I did because I feel I eased people into it and I made people comfortable with ME, and then kind of just dropped the fact that I like guys instead of girls. Many people knew, many had no idea."

Welcome out, Josh.
And I like the philosophy of not being the gay realtor but the realtor who is gay.
It's a subtle difference, but it is a difference.
Like me, I'm not the gay snarky bitch, I'm the snarky bitch who's gay.
Subtle.

Randy Forbes, Teabagger asshat, on his bill to force the placement of "In God We Trust" on all public buildings:

"This sends a clear message to all these government departments and agencies that it’s all right to put up the motto on our buildings and in our classrooms. And I think it will stop the tide of the chilling effect over the past several years. We’re not forcing anybody to do anything. But at the same time, we want to stand there to protect people who want to say God in a public building. And we don’t want some government agency telling them that they can’t put the national motto in their buildings or classrooms."
You might not be forcing people to do anything, but by putting up your little signs, you are ignoring people who are not members of your Christian faith, or even people who are non-believers.
And you can have your national motto, and make it the cornerstone of your life, but you are stepping on the toes of people who believe differently, and that's not very American.
Or Christian.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on her opposition to marriage equality:

"If I was in a different walk of life, if I'd continued in the law and was partner of a law firm now, I would express the same view, that I think for our culture, for our heritage, the Marriage Act and marriage being between a man and a woman has a special status. Now, I know people might look at me and think that's something that they wouldn't necessarily expect me to say, but that is what I believe."

But your beliefs are not necessarily the beliefs of everyone.
Nor are they especially equality oriented.
Believe what you choose, but the law is the law.